Platform Policy
Review & Rating Guidelines
Xcortly uses a three-dimension rating system designed to give users accurate, actionable information about each listing. This page explains how ratings are calculated, what each dimension means, and how we keep reviews trustworthy.
Last updated: August 2026
Overview
Every verified review on Xcortly contributes to a listing's composite score (1–5 stars) and, when provided, to three independent dimension scores: Appearance, Service, and Value. These scores are averaged in real time as new reviews are approved and displayed prominently on each listing page.
1–5 ★
Composite score
Required for all reviews
3 axes
Dimension scores
Optional sub-ratings
< 48 h
Moderation
Typical review time
The Three Dimensions
Each dimension captures a distinct aspect of the experience. Reviewers rate each on a 1–5 scale; all three are optional but strongly encouraged.
Appearance
Photo accuracy · Physical presentation
Stored as
score_appearanceRates how closely the provider's real appearance matches their profile photos and description. A high score means photos are recent, accurate, and representative.
- 5 — Photos are an exact match; appearance is as described or better.
- 4 — Very close match; minor differences only.
- 3 — Noticeable but acceptable discrepancy.
- 2 — Significant differences between photos and reality.
- 1 — Photos are misleading or entirely inaccurate.
Service
Professionalism · Communication · Experience
Stored as
score_serviceEvaluates the overall quality of the service interaction — including responsiveness before the appointment, punctuality, and professionalism throughout.
- 5 — Exceptional communication; punctual; exceeded expectations.
- 4 — Professional and pleasant throughout.
- 3 — Adequate; some minor issues but overall fine.
- 2 — Noticeable unprofessionalism or communication issues.
- 1 — Very poor service; significant problems.
Value
Price fairness · Experience-to-cost ratio
Stored as
score_costReflects whether the experience justified the price charged. A listing can have a high rate and still score 5 on Value if it delivers accordingly.
- 5 — Exceptional value; experience well exceeded the cost.
- 4 — Good value; price and experience well matched.
- 3 — Fair; neither particularly good nor poor value.
- 2 — Overpriced relative to the experience delivered.
- 1 — Significant overcharging or bait-and-switch pricing.
How Scores Are Calculated
Composite score (avg_rating): arithmetic mean of all approved reviews' overall star rating. Updated automatically by a database trigger the moment a review is approved or removed.
Dimension scores (avg_appearance / avg_service / avg_cost): calculated only from reviews where that dimension was rated. A reviewer who skips "Value" does not affect the Value average — their overall score still counts toward the composite.
Rounding: all displayed averages are rounded to two decimal places (e.g. 4.67). The raw precision value is stored for future ranking logic.
Minimum reviews: a composite score is shown once at least one approved review exists. Dimension scores are shown only when at least one reviewer has rated that dimension. We do not pad or estimate missing scores.
Review Helpfulness Votes
Logged-in users can mark any approved review as Helpful. Reviews with more helpful votes are ranked higher in the review list, surfacing the most useful community feedback first. Votes are anonymous to other users. You may change or remove your vote at any time.
Moderation Process
All submitted reviews enter a pending queue and are reviewed by the Xcortly team before being published. This ensures reviews are genuine, relevant, and compliant with our content standards.
Review submitted
Reviewer submits rating and optional comment. Status: pending. Not visible to others.
Manual review (< 48 h)
Xcortly staff verify the review against our content guidelines (see below). Typical turnaround is under 48 hours.
Approved or rejected
Approved reviews are published instantly and the listing's scores update in real time. Rejected reviews are not published; the reviewer is notified where possible.
Content Guidelines
Reviews must meet the following standards to be approved:
First-hand experience
Reviews must be based on a genuine direct interaction with the listed provider.
Relevant and specific
Useful reviews describe the actual experience. Vague or generic text ("Great!") without context may be rejected.
Respectful language
Reviews may be critical but must not contain hate speech, personal attacks, or discriminatory language.
No personal contact information
Reviews must not include phone numbers, email addresses, social handles, or URLs.
No provider-written content
Providers may not review themselves or arrange for friends/associates to submit fake positive reviews.
No competitor references
Reviews must not mention or promote competing platforms or providers.
Anti-Manipulation Policy
Xcortly has a zero-tolerance policy for review manipulation. The following actions will result in permanent account suspension and removal of all associated reviews:
- —Submitting reviews for experiences that did not take place.
- —Creating multiple accounts to increase a listing's score.
- —Offering incentives (discounts, free services) in exchange for positive reviews.
- —Coordinated negative review campaigns targeting competitors.
- —Using automated tools or third-party services to generate fake reviews.
We use a combination of automated signals and manual review to detect manipulation. Listings found to have artificially inflated scores will have their ratings reset and may be delisted.
Disputing a Review
If you believe a review about your listing is fabricated, violates these guidelines, or contains false information, you may report it by contacting our support team. Include the listing URL and a brief explanation of the issue. We aim to respond within 5 business days.
These guidelines are effective as of August 2026 and may be updated periodically. Continued use of the Xcortly review system constitutes acceptance of these terms. For the full legal framework, see our Terms of Service.